Railway signal system.



PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

' H W. GRIFFIN. RAILWAY SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 1905. 2 SHEETB SH E 1- New. a. GRAHAM m, mw-umncmvuini msnmovan, a r.

No. 820,412. PATENTBD MAY 15, 1906. H. W.'GRIFPIN. RAILWAY SIGNAL SYSTEM.

PPLIOATION FILED JAN. 1 190 A 3 5 2 SHEETS--SHBBT 2.

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IINITEI) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY W. GRIFFIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH ANDSIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Patented May 15, 1906.

Application filed January 31, 1905. Serial No. 243.526.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY W. GRIFFIN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling Systems, of which the following. is a specification.

My invention relates to railway signaling systems.

I will describe a railway signaling system embodying my invention and a variation or modification of the signaling system also embodying my invention and then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view illustrating a portion of a railway and applied thereto a signaling system embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a variation or modification of the signaling system therein illustrated. Fig. 8 is a view like Fig. 1, but showing a different condition of the system due to the presence of a train. Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 2, but showing a different condition of the system due to the presence of a train.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

By the term system as herein used and contemplated by my invention I mean an arrangement or combination of electrical circuits so arranged that a change in condition of a circuit produces or causes a change in one or more other circuits, and thereby control or effect the operation of apparatus that may be embodied or included in the system. Each circuit in the arrangement or combination has two conditions: first, the condition of being closed, and, second, the condition of being open or disabled. Current in a closed circuit may flow in either direction, and this is availed of to affect certain apparatus in one manner to have such apparatus control certain other circuits. More particularly, current flowing in one direction in a closed circuit is made to operate only the neutral armature of a polarized relay, while if the same current in the same circuit should flow in the opposite or reverse direction it will affect both the neutral and polarized arma tures. In the case of the trackcircuits while they are not at any time opened a short circuit is provided for the battery included therein, which, in effect, so far as the relay is concerned, is the equivalent of an open circuit.

My invention has especial reference to automatic block-signaling systems, which, as generally understood, consists of the automatic operation and automatic control of the signaling devices located at successive points along a railway. The automatic control is obtained through the arrangement or combination of circuits forming the system, the arrangement being such that a train acts, primarily, on one or more circuits to produce a change in condition thereof, and thus affect other circuits simultaneously 0 1n succession.

The signaling devices of the railway-signals embodied in the system usually give a danger indicationthat is to say, a train or car approaching a railway-signal will, if the conditions warrant, act to affect certain circuits to cause the mechanism of that railway-signal to operate its signal device to have it indicate .safety, and the train or car after passing the railway-signal acts again on other circuits to have the signal de vice display a danger indication to succeeding trains. v

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the signaling system therein illustrated is what is technically termed in the art a home and distant", signaling system, a home and distant signal being located at the entrance end of each block-section. The

home signal is arranged above the distant signal and both are preferably mounted on the same support. Each home signal controls the entrance of trains into its block-section, and each distant signal acts as an indicator for the home signal of the succeeding blocl section. Each distant signal is controlled as to its position by its home signal due to a requirement that a distant signal should never give a safety indication unless its home signal gives a safety indication.

A designates a portion of a railway which is divided into a number of block-sections by means of insulation a, located at suitable points in the opposite lines of rails. This is well understood in the art and will not be more specifically described. In the drawings I have shown four such block-sections (designated 1 2 3 4) and portions of two others. (Designated 5 and 6.) At the entrance end of each block-section I have located a home and a distant signal S S, being respectively the home and distant signal at .also'is weighted or biased in such manner as to-always tend to move to a position indicating or displaying danger. Preferably the semaphore type of signal is employed, and, as stated, any type of automatically-operating mechanism may be used. As examples of'what forms of railway-signals may be used reference may be had to the following United States Patentsto wit, N 0. 600,385, granted March 8, 1898, to V. K. Spicer; No. 611,943, granted October 4, 1898, to J. G. Schreuder, and No.- 745,309, granted November 24, 1903, to J. P. Coleman. Each of these patents describes a signal in the form of a semaphore which comprises a spectacle act ingas a counterweight and a blade and an operation mechanism for moving it from its danger position to its safety position.

Each block-section is provided with a track-circuit which, as is well known, comprises a source of current, the track-rails of the block-section, and a relay. X X X 850., designate sources of current for the track-circuits of the block-sections, and R R B &c., relays for the track-circuits of the blocksections. Each track-circuit has the usual condition of being closed, and in this condition the relays attract their armatures, 850., against what is generally termed their front contacts. Each relay is provided with a plurality of front contacts, which are included in different circuits. This is diagrammatically illustrated in the drawings by a plurality of armatures, each moving between a front and back contact. The con struction of these relays is well known. The front and back contacts are supported in insulation, and the springs which move between these contacts are supported in insulation, so that a cross between springs or contact-points isavoided. For convenience in description I have assumed that there are three springs on the armature of each relay, designated, respectively, 7' 1" r When, however, a train is in a block-section, the wheels and aXles thereof or any pair of wheels and their aXle act as a path of .least resistance to the current flowing in the track-rails of the track-circuit of that block-section, and thus shunt the current from the track-relay and permit it to drop or have its armature and the springs carried thereby moved by a spring, gravity, or any other means from their front contacts onto their back contacts. Each track-relay opens or closes at one point what is termed a local circuit for the home signal of its block-section and a clearing-cir cuit for the home signal of the block-section next in advance.

Each local circuit may be traced as follows: one pole of a battery B B B &c., as the case may be, wire 1, operating mechanism of the home signal S S S &c., as the case may be, wires 3 4, neutral armature c of a clearing-relay C C C &c., as the case may be, wire 5, a front contact and spring 1" of a relay R R R R as the case may be, and wire 6, back to battery. The local circuit for a distant signal may be any desired, provided it con tains a circuit-controller operated by the movements of its home signal. As shown in the drawings, each local circuit for a distant signal is independent and may be traced as follows: from onepole of a battery D, wire 7, circuit-controller 8, operated by the home signal in advance, wire 9, circuit-com troller 10, operated by the home signal above the distant signal, operating mechanism of thedistant signal, and wire 11 to battery D. The circuit-controllers 8 and 10 may be of any desired construction and may be arranged in any desired way. This is merely a matter of choice for any one skilled in the art.

Each clearing-relay C C C &c., is preferably of a polarized type. A polarized relay, as is well understood, generally comprises energizing-coils, a neutral armature carrying a plurality of springs c 0 0 moving between front and back contacts, which may be inchided in independent circuits, (shown diagrammatically in the drawings by a plurality of armatures,) and a polarized armature c. The construction of these relays is well understood. The front and back contacts are supported by insulation, as are the several springs which move between the front and back contacts and which are carried by the armature. Current flowing in either direction through the energizing-coils causes the relay to attract its neutral armature; but the polarized armature 0 will only be caused to move to close a circuit by current in the en ergizing-coils flowing in one direction only. The neutral armature of each clearing-relay forms part of the local circuit of the home signal for its block-section and opens and closes the local circuit at that point by its movement against and away from its front contact. The neutral armature c of each clearing-relay forms part of the clearing-relay circuit neXt in advance and opens and closes the clearing-circuit at that point by its movement against and away from its contact. Current for the circuits of the clearingrelays is supplied from batteries E E E E, &c., and the direction of flow of current from the battery in each clearing-circuit is determined by means of a pole-changing device which is operated by the track-relays R R R &c. As shown in the drawings, the polechanging devices are formed by two of the springs 1" 1*, carried by the armatures of the track-relays and the front and back contactpoints of these springs. A clearing-relay circuit may be traced as follows: Starting from one pole of a battery E E E &c., as the case may be, are wires 12 13 14, back contact 15, and spring 1" of a track-relay R R R &c., as the case may be, wires 16 17 18, clearingrelay C C, &c., as the case may be, wires 19 2O 21, spring 1" of a track-relay R R R as the case may be, and its back contact 22, and wire 23 to battery. It will be seen that each circuit is open at the points 15 and 22, which points will be closed when the track-relay drops its armature-as, for example, when a train is or first enters the block-section. When this occurs, the direction of current in the coils of each clearing-relay will be such as to cause both its neutral and polarized armatures to move to close their circuits. When the neutral and polarized armatures are thus moved, they close what I herein term a supplementary circuit on the clearing-relay next in advance to have such relay attract its neutral armature, and thereby close the local circuit of the home signal for that blocksection at that point. Each such supplementary circuit may be traced as follows, (see Fig. 1 z) from a battery E E E &c., as the case may be, wires 12 13 24, front contact 25 and spring 0, carried by the neutral armature of a clearing-relay C C C &c., as the case may be, connection 26, to polarized armature 0 wires 27 28 29, front contactpoint 30 and spring 1" of a track-relay R R, &c., as the case may be, wires 21 2O 19, clearing-relay C C C &c., as the case may be, wires 18 17 16, spring 1" of track-relay R R R &c., as the case may be, and its front contact 31 and wire 23 to battery. Current flowing in any such circuit will be in a direction not to cause a movement of the polarized armature c to its contact to close a circuit. Such a circuit is established for the purpose of closing the local circuit of a home signal to have it move from danger to safety should conditions warrant, (i. 6., if no train or part of a train were in the blocksection controlled by the home signal,) and thus permit of its'distant signal moving from "danger to safety.

In order that my invention may be understood in all its phases, I will describe an operation of the system which permits by the action of a train on one of the block-sections the movement from danger to "safety two home signals and one distant signal in advance of the train. Assuming that the apparatus and circuits to be in the positions andin the conditions illustrated in Fig. 1 and a train T (see now Fig. 3) to have passed from block-section 6 to block-section 1, the train T when in block-section 6 caused the signals S, S and S each to be moved from its danger position to its safety position. Therefore as the train entered block-section lthe signals S, S, and S were each in its safety position, the circuit-controllers 8 10 of block-section 1 were in their closed positions, and the circuit-controller 10 of block 2 in its closed position. As the firstpair of wheels and their axle enteredblocksection 1 the track-relay R thereof was shortcircuited and being deenergized dropped its armature 7, which opened the local circuit of home signal S to permit of its returning to danger and operated the circuitcontroller 10 adjacent it to also permit of the distant signal S moving to danger. This is the usual operation. The shortcircuiting of the relay R closed through the springs r 1" carried by its armature the clearing-circuit on the clearing-relay C as follows, (see Fig. 3:) starting from battery E, wire 23, contact 22, spring 1" of relay R, wires 21 2O 19, clear ing-relay C, Wires 18, 17, and 16, spring 9", contact 15, and wires 14, 13, and 12. The current flowing in this circuit from battery E is in such direction as to have the polarized armatures c of relay C move to its contact, (the neutral armature of relay C and the springs carried thereby being already against their front contacts by reason of the closing of the supplementary circuit when the train T was in block-section 6,) and thus close a supplementary circuit on clearing-relay C to have it attract its neutral armature, and thus close the local circuit on home signal S to have it move from danger to "safety. In moving from danger to safety it operates the adjacent circuit-controller 8 in the local circuit of the distant signal S and thus have it move from danger to "safety. This supplementary circuit may be traced as follows: from battery E, wires 12 13 24, contact-point 25, spring 0, carried by neutral armature of relay C, connection 26, polarized armature 0 wires 27 28 29,

contact-point 30, and spring 1" of relay R,

wires 21 20 19, clearing-relay C wires 18 17 16, spring 7" of relay R, contact-point 31, and wire 23 to battery E. The direction of flow of current in any clearing-circuit is indicated by plain arrows, and the direction of flow of current in any supplementary circuit is indicated by the feathered arrows. It will be seen therefore that as a train proceeds along the railway its action on the track-circuits of the block-section is to have thetrack-relays successively close clearing-circuits in which current flows in one direction only to act on the clearing-relay therein, so

&

that the clearing-relay will first close a local signal circuit, and, second, to close a supplementary circuit on the clearing-relay next in advance to have it in turn close a local signal circuit, which closing of the last-mentioned local circuit may act to control either directly or indirectly another local signal circuitfor example, a local circuit on a distant signal.

In Figs. 2 and 4 I have illustrated a variation or modification of my invention. These figures illustrate the same type of sys tem as Figs. 1 and 3to wit, home and distant. The variation or change consists, essentially, in a usually or normally closed clearing-circuit in which current flows normally in a direction not to produce a movement of the polarized armature and including the polarized armature in the local circuit of a home signal. Each clearing-relay operates a pole-changing device instead of a track-relay, as in Figs. 1 and 3, and this pole-changing device, as illustrated in the drawings, may be embodied in the construction of the relay.

Each clearingcircuit, which, as stated, is usually closed, may be traced as follows: Starting from a battery E E E as the case may be, are wires 32 33 34, front contact-point 43, and spring a of clearing-relay C C C as the case may be, wire 35, contact-point 36, and a spring of track-relay R, wires 37 38, clearing-relay C C C as the case may be, wires 39 40, spring 0, and its front contactpoint 41, and wire 42 to battery. Current from the battery E E E, &c., will flow in this circuit in a direction not to cause a movement of the polarized armature 0 The polechanging device,it will be seen, comprises the contact-points 43, 45, 41, and 44 and springs c 0, carried by the neutral armatures and moving between these points. When the armature of each relay is attracted, the springs are held to the contact-points 43 41 and current will flow from the battery in one direc tion, and when engaging the back contactpoints 45 44 current will flow from the battery in a reverse direction. When the springs are on contact-points 45 44, the wires 46 47 are included in the clearing-circuit and wires 33 34 omitted. As soon as a train enters block-section 1 the relay R thereof being denergized drops its armature, and thus opens the clearing-circuit for clearingrelay 0. Clearing-relay C being deenergized drops its neutral armature, and thus changes the direction of flow of current through the coils of clearing-relay C to have it move its polarized armature to close the local circuit for the home signal of its Each' clearing-relay also through its neutral armablock-section. (Home signal S*.)

ture on its back contact (instead of its front contact, as in Figs. 1 and 3) may close the local signal-circuit for its home signal. For

example, the train T in block-section 1 (see Fig. 4) deenergizes track-relay R, which in this condition opens the circuit including clearing-relay C. The clearing-relay C drops its neutral armature onto its back contact, and thus closes the local circuit for its home signal. This circuit may be traced as follows: battery B B B &c., as the case may be, wires 48, signal-operating mechan ism of the home signal,wire 49, spring on armature of track-relay R R R &c., as the case may be, wires 50 51 52, back contact 53, and spring a on neutral armature of clearing-relay C C C 850., as the case may be, and wire 54 to battery. When the polarized armature is moved against its contact, the local circuit is completed through it from wire 51 and through wire 55 to battery.

In order that this form of the invention may be understood in all of its phases, I will describe an operation of the system which permits by the action of a train on one of the block-sections the movement from danger to safety two home signals and one distant signal in advance of the train. Assuming that the apparatus and circuits to be in the positions and conditions illustrated in Fig. 2 and a train T (see now Fig. 4) to have passed from block-section 6 to block-section 1, the train when in block-section 6 caused the signals S, S, and S each to be moved from its danger position to its safety po sition. Therefore when the train entered block-section 1 the signals S, S, and S were each in its safety position. As the first pair of wheels and their aXle entered blocksection 1 the track-relay R was short-circuited and being deenergized dropped its armature and permitted the signals S and S at the entrance end of block-section 1 to go to danger. The dropping of the armature of relay R opened the clearing-circuit on clearing-relay C, which being deenergized dropped its armature, and thereby reversed the direction of flow of current in the circuit for clearing-relay C to have itrnove itspolarized armature to close the local circuit on home signal S. The movement of this signal (S to safety operates the adjacent circuit-controller 8 to close the local circuit of the distant signal S and have it move to safety. It will be seen therefore that in the form of invention illustrated in Figs. 2 i

and 4 that as a train proceeds along the railway its action on the track-circuits of the block-sections is to have the track-relays R R, &c., successively open clearing-circuits and to have each clearing-relay produce a re- Versal of the current-flow of the next clearing-circuit. Each such action causes a local circuit to be closed on a home signal which in moving to safety operates a circuit-closer to close the local circuit for its distant signal.

The arrangement and number of batteries is not essential to my invention. One battery may be used for the local circuits of a home and distant signal at one point and also for the clearing-relay circuit. The only requirement for batteries is that they must be so arranged with relation to the clearing-relays that it may be controlled through a suitable pole-changing device to roduce a flow of current in a direction whic at the roper times will cause a movement of the po arized armatures thereof to close circuits. The number of Wires in the circuits is immaterial and may be arranged in any desired way.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In combination with railwaysignals, each comprising a signal device constructed to usually or normally give a danger indication and an operating mechanism for moving it from danger indication to safety indication, a signaling system for controlling such signals, comprising a series of closed trackcircuits, each including a track-relay, a series of open local signal-circuits, and a series of clearing-circuits, each containing a polarized relay, the arrangement being such that each track-relay when deenergized acts to control a clearing-circuit to have current flow therein in a direction to produce a movement of the polarized armature of the relays to close a circuit which latter circuit acts to close a local signal-circuit.

2. In combination with railway-signals, each comprising a signal device constructed to usually or normally give a dan er indication and anoperating mechanism for moving it from danger indication to safety indication, a signaling system for controlling such signals comprising a series of closed trackcircuits, each including a track-relay, a series of local signal-circuits, and a series of clearing-circuits each containing a polarized relay, the arrangement of the circuits being such that each track-relay when denergized acts to control a clearing-circuit to have current flow therein in a direction to produce movement of both its neutral and polarized armatures to close a local signal-circuit and a circuit on another clearing-relay to have the last-mentioned relay close a local signal-circuit.

3. A signaling system for railway-signals comprising a series of closed track-circuits, each including a track-relay, a series of local signal-circuits, and a series of clearing-circuits each containing a polarized relay, the

arrangement of the circuits being such that each track-relay when denergized acts to control a clearing-circuit to have current flow therein in a direction to produce movement of both its neutral and polarized armatures to close a local signal-circuit and a circuit on another clearing-relay to have the last-mentioned relay close a local signal-circuit.

4. A signaling system for railway-signals which comprises aseries of track-circuits each containing a track-relay, a series of local open signal-circuits, and a series of clearing-circuits each including a polarized relay for affecting a local signal-circuit and the next clearing-circuit, the arrangement being such that the clearing-circuits are controlled from the track-circuits.

5. A signaling system for railway-signals which comprises a series of track circuits each containing a trackrelay, a series of local signal-circuits, and a series of clearing-circuits each containing a polarized relay, source of current and pole-changing means for the source of current which pole-changing means are controlled as to their operation from or by the track-relays.

6. In combination with railway-signals usually giving danger indications, a signaling system therefor, comprising a series of trackcircuits, clearing-relays with neutral and po larized contacts at each signal to aifect the clearing of such signal, polarized circuits for controlling and operating said clearing-relays, said circuit being opened or closed or the flow of current reversed as to direction to affect the next clearing-relay in advance by the action of a train on the track-circuits.

7. In combination with railway-signals usually giving danger indications, a signaling system therefor comprising a series of trackcircuits, a clearing-relay with neutral and polarized contacts at each signal to aiiect the clearing of such signal, a polarized circuit for controlling and operating said clearing-relays, said circuit being opened or closed or the flow of current therein reversed by track-relays to affect the next clearing-relay in advance.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribed witnesses.

HENRY W. GRIFFIN.

Witnesses:

A. HERMAN WEGNER, B. A. HINMAN. 

